Picture frame

Abstract

A picture frame comprising a picture carrier portion and a frame portion, the picture carrier portion to carry a picture member; the frame portion comprising frame members with: an outer side member hingedly connected at a first hinge connection to the picture carrier portion; a back member hingedly connected at a second hinge connection to the outer side member, and an inner side member hingedly connected at a third hinge connection to the back member, wherein in an assembled position: the outer side member forms an outer side of the frame, the back member forms a back of the frame, and; the inner side member forms an inner side of the frame, wherein a connection system is arranged to lock the inner side member to the picture carrier portion.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A picture frame comprising a picture carrier portion and a frame portion,
 the frame portion comprising frame members with: an outer side member hingedly connected at a first hinge connection to the picture carrier portion; a back member hingedly connected at a second hinge connection to the outer side member, and an inner side member hingedly connected at a third hinge connection to the back member, 
 wherein in an assembled position: the outer side member forms an outer side of the frame; the back member forms a back of the frame, and; the inner side member forms an inner side of the frame, 
 wherein a connection system is arranged as a locking connection movable from an unlocked position to a locked position to lock the inner side member directly to the picture carrier portion, the connection system including a first engagement member arranged on the inner side and a complimentary second engagement member arranged on the picture carrier portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The picture frame of  claim 1 , wherein the first engagement member includes one of a hook shaped extension or a complimentary aperture, and the second engagement member includes the other of a hook shaped extension or a complimentary aperture. 
     
     
       3. The picture frame of  claim 1 , wherein the second engagement member is arranged on an extension portion that extends from a body of the picture carrier portion. 
     
     
       4. The picture frame of  claim 3 , wherein the extension portion extends in a lateral or longitudinal direction outwardly towards the outer side member from a portion comprising the second engagement member of the connection system to accommodate the third engagement system. 
     
     
       5. The picture frame of  claim 1 , wherein a second engagement system is operatively associated with at least one of the hinge connections, the second engagement system engaged to define a terminal hinge position, in which adjoining frame members or the adjoining outer side member and the picture carrier portion are perpendicular to each other,
 wherein the engagement system is arranged distal said hinge connection. 
 
     
     
       6. The picture frame of  claim 5 , wherein the second engagement system is arranged to define a terminal hinge position of the first hinged connection, and a third engagement system is arranged with a first engagement member on the back member to engage with a second engagement member on the picture carrier portion to maintain the outer side member in the terminal hinge position. 
     
     
       7. The picture frame of  claim 1 , wherein in the assembled position a rim of the inner side member engages a back surface of a body of the picture carrier portion. 
     
     
       8. The picture frame of  claim 1 , wherein in the unassembled position, the frame members are arranged in a longitudinal and lateral plane of the picture carrier portion with the inner side member having a front face to receive the picture member. 
     
     
       9. The picture frame of  claim 8 , wherein the inner side member includes reduced thickness portions to aid insertion of a fixing member therethrough to fix the picture member to the inner side member. 
     
     
       10. The picture frame of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of said hinged connections is arranged with a cut-out portion that in an unassembled position, in which the frame members are arranged in a lateral and longitudinal plane of the picture carrier portion, includes a flat base to define a hinge member,
 wherein in the assembled position the hinge member curves around a hinge axis. 
 
     
     
       11. The picture frame of  claim 10 , wherein the hinge member is formed integrally with the adjoining frame members and/or an adjoining frame member and picture carrier portion, and wherein a thickness of the hinge member is less than 20% of a thickness of the adjoining frame members and/or an adjoining frame member and picture carrier portion. 
     
     
       12. The picture frame of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the hinge connections comprises a first engagement system that is engaged to define a terminal hinge position, in which the adjoining frame members or an adjoining frame member and picture carrier portion are perpendicular to each other. 
     
     
       13. The picture frame of  claim 12 , wherein the first engagement system is arranged as one or more extension that extends outwardly from adjoining frame members or an adjoining frame member and picture carrier portion. 
     
     
       14. A picture frame of  claim 1  and a corresponding picture member. 
     
     
       15. The picture frame and picture member of  claim 14 , arranged in the assembled position, with the picture member fixed to the picture carrier portion. 
     
     
       16. A method of assembling a picture frame comprising:
 with a frame portion comprising frame members with: an outer side member hingedly connected at a first hinge connection to a picture carrier portion; a back member hingedly connected at a second hinge connection to the outer side member, and an inner side member hingedly connected at a third hinge connection to the back member, 
 connecting a picture member to the picture carrier portion; 
 hinging the hinge connections to connect directly with a locking connection the inner side member to the picture carrier member, with a first engagement member arranged on the inner side member and a complimentary second engagement member arranged on the picture carrier portion. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  comprising connecting the picture member to the inner side member prior to hinging said hinge connections. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16  comprising:
 hinging about a hinge axis a hinge member of the hinged connections of the frame portion that is connected to the picture carrier portion, wherein the hinged connections include a cut-out portion with a flat base to define said hinge member. 
 
     
     
       19. A picture frame comprising a picture carrier portion and a frame portion,
 the frame portion comprising frame members with: an outer side member hingedly connected at a first hinge connection to the picture carrier portion; a back member hingedly connected at a second hinge connection to the outer side member, and an inner side member hingedly connected at a third hinge connection to the back member, 
 wherein in an assembled position: the outer side member forms an outer side of the frame; the back member forms a back of the frame, and; the inner side member forms an inner side of the frame, 
 wherein a connection system is arranged to lock the inner side member to the picture carrier portion 
 wherein a second engagement system is operatively associated with at least one of the hinge connections, the second engagement system being arranged to define a terminal hinge position of the first hinged connection, in which adjoining frame members or the adjoining outer side member and the picture carrier portion are perpendicular to each other, and the second engagement system being arranged distal said hinge connection, and 
 wherein a third engagement system is arranged with a first engagement member on the back member to engage with a second engagement member on the picture carrier portion to maintain the outer side member in the terminal hinge position. 
 
     
     
       20. The picture frame of  claim 19 , wherein the third engagement system is arranged with the second engagement member on an extension portion that extends from a body of the picture carrier portion.